


Closer

by Arikitteh



Category: Chikara (Professional Wrestling), Professional Wrestling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-09
Updated: 2016-01-09
Packaged: 2018-05-12 21:08:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5680846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arikitteh/pseuds/Arikitteh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The aftermath of Deucalion's death at "Tomorrow Never Dies", Chikara originals discuss what to do and how to find the Thunderfrog.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Closer

When the Thunderfrog's Hammer had been passed to him while in the cage, Icarus knew what he had to do the moment he gripped it's handle. The moment he held the hammer, all of his fears, his doubts, his worries faded away. In a moment of perfect clarity he knew what he had to do. And he did it, swinging the hammer with deadly accuracy and force directly at Deucalion. It was the mystical arcane power of the Thunderfrog's Hammer that had slain the Titor Titan, Icarus was just the person chosen to wield it, to deliver the deathblow.

As Deucalion fell, limp and lifeless to the canvas, Icarus felt a subtle shift in the energy of Thunderfrog's Hammer. Somehow he just _knew_ that with the death of the titan, that the Thunderfrog could and _would_ find a way to return to them.

Jacobs had held to their agreement, skillfully turning The Flood against Deucalion when the titan tried to call them into war. Icarus knew he'd seen a satisfied glimmer in the eyes of The Zombie Princess when Deucalion was killed. The titan's death brought about confusion among the rest of The Flood. They were left leaderless, as Jimmy had quietly made his exit once he knew Deucalion had been killed. Titor's army had been broken, left to their own devices the rudos quickly turned on each other. Breaking apart into their collective stables, or stepping away to make a go of it on their own.

As the tecnicos celebrated, Icarus noticed Ultramantis Black was staring at him. Ultramantis' head was tilted to one side, and Icarus slowly realized that it wasn't _him_ that held Mantis' attention. Ultramantis was looking at the Thunderfrog's Hammer. Keeping the hammer close, Icarus left the ring, left the celebrations, and headed to the back. Ultramantis was quick to follow him, as he'd hoped. Icarus stepped into the small room that had been set aside for himself, turning to face the door he waited for Mantis to walk in.

Before Ultramantis Black could say a word, Icarus spoke up. “You're not getting the hammer, Mantis. I know how dangerous you can be when given mystical artifacts. I don't want another Eye of Tyr situation.”

“Icarus, that's not why I'm interested in the hammer. You felt the way it's power changed when Deucalion was killed. I think we can use it to find the Thunderfrog.” Ultramantis was calm, his voice even. If he'd been offended by what Icarus had said, he didn't show it.

Icarus looked at the hammer. Yes, Ultramantis was right about there being a shift in it's power. A change in the energy, he'd felt it happen when it had hit Deucalion, a change that was still strong. Had been slowly growing stronger. “You think Thunderfrog has returned from the grave?”

Ultramantis nodded, “Yes. I think that whatever power the titan held over life and death was broken when he died. That hammer was given to the Thunderfrog by the old Gods. From what research I've been able to do, I've learned that one must be worthy to wield it and it's uniquely tied to our amphibian friend. When you used the hammer to kill the titan, it balanced the scales, allowing the Thunderfrog to return to this plane of existence.”

Icarus blinked, doing his best to follow Ultramantis' mystic train of thought. “How could Thunderfrog return, he was killed.”

Mantis sighed and his voice took on a teacher's tone, “Death is merely a change from one plane of existence to another. And point of fact, I believe that Deucalion sent all of our deceased friends to a different plane where he could feed off their energy to strengthen himself. I also think that while you were locked with him in the cage, our 'dead' friends were fighting him on the mystical plane while you were fighting him physically. I believe they gave you the opening you needed to use Thunderfrog's Hammer to destroy him.”

This was quite a lot for Icarus to wrap his mind around. Sitting on a bench, the Grand Champion placed the hammer in his lap, and looked down at it with a newfound respect. “So how can we use this to find the Thunderfrog?”

“There are some mystic tracking spells I think will allow us to follow the connection between the hammer and the Thunderfrog. I'll need some time to prepare before attempting them.”

Icarus nodded, “Do you think.... Think we can bring the others back?”

Ultramantis shrugged, “It's hard to say. I don't know where Deucalion sent the others. I might be able to get some clues from the Thunderfrog, if there's any traces of the energy of that place left in his aura when we find him. Even if I can find the clues, I can't promise I'll be able to reach any of them. I'm sorry I can't give you anything more, Icarus, but dealing with mystical things one can never be certain.”

Icarus took a deep breath, let it out slowly. “I understand, Ultramantis, but if there's even a chance we can bring the others back I'm willing to do whatever I can to help.”

Mantis reached out to pat Icarus on the shoulder, “I know you will, you and most of our locker room. If I can do this, I'll let you know.” Hearing the boisterous cheering in the hall outside, they both knew the rest of their friends were making their way backstage. “I'll leave you to celebrate with the others. The sooner I can start preparations, the sooner we'll be able to find the Thunderfrog. Keep the hammer safe.”

Ultramantis turned and swiftly left the locker room, before the rest of their friends could sweep him up in the celebrations. Icarus leaned back against the lockers, lost in thought. “He lost Hallowicked and Frightmare tonight, and instead of trying to get them back, he's working to help find the Thunderfrog.... If Ultramantis and the Eye of Tyr can't reach them now, perhaps Slayne can.”

Icarus glanced up at his reflection in the mirror, in his mind's eye he saw half of his face covered by the old mask he used to wear....

_Looking for a higher ground_  
_Searching for this something missed before_  
_From a higher ground_  
_Will I fall in a right direction?_


End file.
